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Read Full BioThailand has been rocked by a religious scandal, with the former abbot of one of the country’s most famous temples publicly disrobed over gambling and embezzlement allegations.
Last week, Phra Thamma Wachiranuwat (lay name: Yaem Intrangkrungkao), the long-serving head monk of Wat Rai Khing, in Thailand’s Nakhon Pathom Province, turned himself in to police.
Officers had been preparing a warrant for his arrest. The former abbot admitted to embezzling 300 million baht (over $9 million) worth of temple funds. Investigators think he used the money to place bets on online betting sites.
Reporters watched as the 70-year-old was officially disrobed before a Buddhist statue on May 15.
Thai Abbot, Broker, and Others Arrested
Police have since widened the scope of their investigation. The Nation Thailand reported that officers arrested Yaem’s aide Ekkapot Phukhang. The latter is accused of helping the former abbot place online bets with temple funds.
Investigators say Ekkapot has admitted to helping send money, received from Yaem, to an online gambling broker named Aranyawan Wangthapan.
Officers in Pattaya also arrested the broker. Police suspect Aranyawan of further money laundering offences. They believe the broker helped launder over 800 million baht ($24.2 million) through three companies.
According to reports, the funds may have ended up on the platform of the online gambling website LAGALAXY911. The site was the subject of a cyberpolice probe in 2024.
Officers are making a concerted bid to shut down the platform permanently and have asked a court to grant arrest warrants for 24 suspects. Investigators want to arrest the site’s financial managers, developers, accountants, and various cash and card mules.
In an editorial piece, the Bangkok Post called for “meaningful and fundamental reform” to prevent an erosion of public trust. The newspaper stated: “Temples are legal entities, and abbots are effectively public officials. Many, including major temples like Wat Rai Khing, receive state funding through stipends and maintenance grants.”
The newspaper concluded: “When religious institutions rely on public resources and shape national morality, financial accountability is not optional. It is essential.”
The scandal comes amid a police crackdown on illegal gambling in border areas and controversy over the government’s plans to legalize casinos in special entertainment complexes.
Claw Machine Crackdown
Elsewhere in the country, police in Nakhon Si Thammarat have begun seizing coin-operated claw machines, also known as crane grabbers.
In a separate report, the Bangkok Post explained that police say the machines are drawing schoolchildren into gambling-like behavior patterns.
Parents have complained that their children spend their pocket money on unregistered devices.
A spokesperson claimed many of the machines have been installed near schools and tutoring centres.
The spokesperson added that many of these operate without proper permits or ownership identification.
The Deputy Superintendent of Tha Sala Police Station said the machines may be classified as gambling devices under Thai law, and machine owners who try to reclaim their seized machines would face legal action.
